Boehner: The U.S. and Israel “the Closest of Friends and Allies”

Israeli Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu will address a joint meeting of Congress on May 24, House Speaker John Boehner (R-Ohio) announced today.

“It will be an honor to welcome Prime Minister Netanyahu to the Capitol on May 24 as part of his official visit to the United States,” Boehner said in a statement. “America and Israel are the closest of friends and allies, and we look forward to hearing the Prime Minister’s views on how we can continue working together for peace, freedom, and stability.”

The announcement comes roughly a month after Boehner extended an invitation to Netanyahu.

Netanyahu’s last visit to the U.S. was in March of 2010, when he made a speech at the American Israel Public Affairs Committee conference. During that trip Netanyahu met privately with President Obama amid a spat between the two countries about Israeli settlement construction.

Netanyahu’s address will be the fourth by an Israeli prime minister to Congress. He addressed the legislative body during a previous stint as prime minister in 1996.

“Israel is a vital ally bound to America by common democratic values and shared strategic interests,” House Majority Leader Eric Cantor (R-Va.) said in a statement. “A strong Israel translates into a stronger America, and we look forward to hearing from Mr. Netanyahu how our two countries can work together to promote prosperity, hope and stability in the Middle East.”